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“How is innovation impacting our students and schools?” was a question at the heart of the “Cultivating Innovation at the District Level” breakout session at last week’s Vision 2015 conference on Delaware public education.  Attendees had an opportunity to hear how innovation is changing how and where our students are learning in Delaware and beyond. The panelists were Jill Hobson, the Director of Instructional Technology for Forsyth County Schools, located about 40 miles from Atlanta, Dr. Shawn Joseph, Superintendent of Seaford School District, and Sandy Smith, Director of Assessment and Accountability for the Indian River School District.

Panelists discussed topics such as the benefits of breaking away from the traditional delivery model of “one size fits all” for students, strategic professional development for educators, and how collective problem-solving and collaborative critical thinking are improving schools and the quality of education being delivered.

Forsyth County Schools – A National Model of Innovation

Jill Hobson provided the group with an overview of how Forsyth County Schools has become a leader in innovation. With 42,000 students, Forsyth County Schools is one of the fastest growing school districts in the country, which is both a challenge and an opportunity. Following the mantra that “one size does not fit all,” the district is maximizing the personalized learning experience so that students begin to take ownership of their learning and are working to their abilities and truly able to “show what you know.”

One example of how the district is innovating the learning experience is by moving away from purchasing expensive text books year after year.  By investing in digital resources that students can utilize through “BYOT” – Bring Your Own Technology and encouraging teachers to create their own digital content in a district-wide “Learning Object Repository,” students are provided with relevant and tailored learning opportunities that meet their needs.

Indian River School District – Cultivating Innovation throughout the District

Here in Delaware, the Indian River School District (IRSD) has been at the forefront of innovative practices to support students, teachers, and administrators. Sandy Smith shared with the group how IRSD is working with a large low-income population to be innovative in their efforts to help students and teachers achieve the “4 Cs”: creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration.

Being innovative doesn’t mean you have the latest and greatest technology, in fact much of what IRSD is focused on has no technology component. For teachers, professional learning communities (PLCs) are a part of the district fabric and, as a member of the Vision Network of Delaware, collaborating with schools in other districts to problem solve and instill best practices. For students, setting the bar high and raising expectations through implementation of the Common Core State Standards and developing personalized learning plans for both of the district’s high schools will help students take ownership of their high school academic career.

Seaford School District – What Innovation Looks Like

Last, Dr. Joseph spoke about the importance of their singular belief system – that every student will be advantaged, because schools should be the game changers serving children and providing them with the tools they need to become advantaged, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status.

The newly renovated Seaford High School has taken into account innovation’s impact on the physical school space and the school learning environment to help students on their journey to being advantaged. Classroom environments that consist of tables and chairs on wheels encourage collaboration and easy movement.  Large “collabradors,” open meeting areas throughout the school, promote collective problem-solving and opportunities to work on assignments and projects in small groups.

The common theme presented by the panelists is that innovation continues to transform education and the learning environment for our children and teachers. The availability of technology and resources is changing the way our children learn, but innovation is also about helping children succeed to the best of their abilities and supporting teachers and giving them the tools they need to effectively educate every child that enters their classroom.

We’ve just begun to explore how innovation can enhance the learning experience and we’ll be hearing more in the months ahead from school districts such as Appoquinimink, who are implementing flipped classroom models and piloting the use of mobile applications on hand-held devices. You can also learn more about an exciting collaborative effort underway by four local school districts. The Brandywine, Indian River, New Castle County Vocational Technical and Colonial school districts (BRINC) — have collaborated to secure a $600,000 innovation grant from the state Department of Education for a project called “Linking to the Future.”

In a press release yesterday, Governor Markell announced that the Education Commission of the States has selected Delaware as the winner of the 2013 Frank Newman Award for State Innovation.

The annual award recognizes states and territories for enacting innovative education reforms or implementing innovative programs to improve student outcomes on a large scale. The award is named after the late Frank Newman, who served as president of the Education Commission of the States for 14 years.

Rodel Foundation President and CEO, Paul Herdman, offered his thoughts on the announcement:
“It’s humbling, but the selection of Delaware as this year’s recipient of the Frank Newman Award for State Innovation validates the hard work of our public and private leaders to take a hard look at where we are, to build a common vision, and to begin delivering on that vision.  We have a long way to go, but I believe Delaware is on path to creating a global model for what an excellent system of public schools can be.”

Delaware will officially be presented with the award during the Education Commission of the States’ National Forum, which is June 25-27, 2013, in St. Louis, MO.

On October 19, I had the pleasure of visiting Carrie Downie Elementary School as part of the “Principal for a Day” program sponsored each year by the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce. Carrie Downie Elementary is a K-5 school located in New Castle and is in the Colonial School District. This year’s current enrollment stands at 526 students, with roughly 76% of those students participating in the free or reduced lunch program.

One of the things I was most impressed with during my visit was the integration of technology in the classroom. Each room had a smart board that was in use by the teachers and the children were able to follow along with the lesson for the day and also interact with the teachers on exercises. Principal Nneka Jones informed me that this has been a huge upgrade for the school as just two years ago the school did not even have a DVD player let alone smart boards! The school now has 20 iPads that are also available for teachers to sign out for class instruction, and growing this number is a priority to Principal Jones so more students have the ability to use tablets in the classroom.

I have a niece and three nephews who are all of elementary age so I am very familiar with their seemingly infinite energy levels. I couldn’t help but be impressed by how quiet and orderly the students were moving through the hallways and by the respect they showed for their teachers. I also found in the classrooms I visited that the students were all working diligently in small groups or with partners which was great to see!

I also had the opportunity to read to a class of first graders who were a lot of fun to talk with, and their excitement about school was obvious! When I arrived at the class, each student was sitting at their desk with their “reading buddy,” a stuffed animal they have chosen and read aloud to each day. After reading to the group, I asked each of them what they want to be when they grow up and in addition to many dreaming of being athletes, I heard responses of doctors, teachers, engineers, and veterinarians.

I walked away from my visit to Carrie Downie feeling really good about the work being done by a dedicated and enthusiastic group of teachers and administrators to educate children in that community.  With more than 75% of the students coming from low income households, the staff also works very hard to ensure that their children’s most basic needs are being met. In past years, coat drives and providing Thanksgiving baskets for families were two ways that the school received support from local businesses and organizations to help families. However, with the economy continuing to struggle that level of additional support may not be possible this year.

At the end of my visit, I asked Principal Jones if they have had any other outside visitors recently and she replied that they had not. If you are wondering about how our schools are doing and how you can make a difference, I would encourage you to arrange a visit to a local school and see for yourself, or consider joining the Delaware Mentoring Council and mentoring a child.

This blog post was originally published on Town Square Delaware.

As a new school year gets underway, it is a great time to highlight the work being done to help children reach their potential. You can be a part of helping to recognize individuals who are making positive contributions throughout our state!

iEducate Delaware is an initiative of the Rodel Foundation of Delaware recognizing unsung heroes of public education statewide. The 15 finalists represent a diverse cross section of parents, educators, community leaders, and other inspiring individuals from up and down the state who are dedicating their time, commitment, and leadership to Delaware’s public schools.

iEducate Delaware is focused on public input, so your votes will weigh heavily in the selection of the honorees. You are able to vote once daily for up to three different finalists, and voting will close September 14th. The three iEducate Delaware honorees will be announced at the Vision 2015 conference on October 17th and be featured on Town Square Delaware. Honorees will have their stories widely promoted and will receive a $2,000 grant toward the education-related cause of their choice.

Visit www.iEducateDelaware.org to read the finalists’ stories, and vote today and every day until September 14 for your favorite. There are encouraging stories from each, and voting isn’t your only way to support your favorite finalists. After you vote, share their stories with friends and help promote the impact of the finalists’ innovative work– get involved, volunteer, and support local students, teachers, and schools. Also, each finalist’s website page has individual social media tools to Tweet, Pin, Facebook or email the finalists’ info to a friend. As the iEducate community grows, so does the impact of the finalists’ contributions.

Delaware is positioned to be a national leader in education, and we are fortunate to have individuals like the iEducate Delaware finalists and many others committed to giving our children the best education possible.